By: Hilary Rodela, Lead Digital Content Writer for Taction USA
It is important to practice safety at all times, even at crime scenes. Too often, we become complacent with a place or situation. This may lead to letting our guard down and becoming to lax. For law enforcement professionals situational awareness is engrained in each and every training. And it should be! However, we are all human and sometimes a rough day or a “too comfortable” situation get the better of us. It is imperative to never let that happen.
For crime scene investigators, it can be especially become engrossed in the scene itself, processing it, and determining what the evidence is telling. Yet, crime scenes are one of the most common places for a disturbance to potentially happen. It is very common for potential suspects to come back to the scene of the crime whether they “forgot” something or for the more sinister reason of reviewing their “work” with pride. Either way, crime scene investigators should be taught situational awareness as well. Of course every scene has an officer placed to watch over the scene as security, but there are times when that may not be enough.
Just as investigators are taught to be highly aware of details, even down to the smallest component, so should investigators be highly aware of what is going on around them at all times. Practice makes perfect, make it is a point to sharpen your skills of awareness by mentally notating who is line at the grocery store with you or of the people around you at a restaurant. Small, mental exercises such as this will help your mind default to being aware at all time, and in turn, will increase your safety on or off duty.
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